[4] Goa was the defending champion, having defeated Mohammedan in the 2021 final, but this time they couldn't progress beyond the group stage.

The final was an all-ISL affair for the first time, and Bengaluru won their first-ever Durand Cup by defeating the debutants – Mumbai City by 2–1.

Several top I-League clubs, most notably previous season's champions Gokulam Kerala, withdrew from the tournament.

Gokulam cited improper scheduling, therefore chose to solely focus on league games, as they got replaced by Sudeva Delhi.

[25] On 12 August, the DFTS released a theme song along with a music video to commemorate the age-old tournament entering a new era with the first time recognition from the AFC and participation of all ISL clubs.